Burning Lands
by Daisuke Tokayuma
Summary: The Belkan War is in full swing as Amon Tokayuma, a pilot from Osea, decides to fight back against Belka for what seems to be the Final War. A novelazation of Ace Combat Zero starting from before that first sortie to Avalon. WARNING: Contains spoilers for the game.


**Disclaimer: **I don't own the storylines or characters of Ace Combat Zero. The only thing I own is my image of Cipher.

**Chapter 1: Bitter Cold**

The cold breeze was flying through the flaps in the back of the transport vehicle. The recruitment poster, along with my duffel bag was being held in my hands as I kept staring down. I kept getting chilled to the bone as the voices of my friends and family kept popping into my head.

-3 months earlier-

I had just grabbed my duffel, packed full of some clothes, and was heading out the door towards when someone tugged at my pants leg. It was Katsu, who had just turned eleven when I had received word that Ustio was in danger of total Belkan control. Besides it was the only way to make sure that my family had enough money to last these years as the prices for food shot up. Another reason was more selfish, I had just been barred from flying in the Osean Air Defense Force during the start of the war by talking trash to my commander right before the initial rush by the Belkans.

"Dad, when are you coming home?" asked Katsu. I leaned down to look into his soft eyes and gave a confident smirk and thumbs up.

"Don't worry about me; I'll be home real soon. Trust me, besides nothing can shoot your old man out of the sky anyways." My voice was sounding a lot like confidence, but in reality I was terrified. I had been close to stalling out one time during a training exercise many years ago. That was the day I swore to be more aware of myself in the pilot seat. The whole issue with my commander was that he was giving no true objectivity to our case and taking favorites on the "hotshots of Grimm Squadron" when they claimed we tampered with their planes when we didn't. Of course I snapped at his unfairness, which effectively kept me grounded for a year. Note to self, deck the Commander when I get back. I slung the rucksack over my shoulder before turning outside and towards what I understood to be what will soon be a nightmare I will want to forget.

-Present Day-

Everything was silent as we finally pulled to a stop and a shout from the front of the truck had us jump to our feet and hustle out the flapped back and onto the rough gravel. The base was surrounded by mountains capped in an almost innocently white snow. If I didn't know otherwise I would have thought that there was no war here. My daydreaming quickly ended as a five foot, ten inch officer walked in front of us and started barking out to the group.

"Alright maggots, I don't care where you're from and I don't care! Barracks are to the left of you and hangers one through ten are to their right, hangers eleven through twenty are to your right. Now when I call your name I will give you your squadron and which hanger you go to got it! Hope so… Tokayuma!" he barked out my name and I took a small step forward and stood at attention.

"Sir!"

"Quite the resume, not… You'll fly on Galm Team for now; I doubt you'll survive long enough to enjoy it. Head over to Hanger Four where you'll see your plane and wingman," he sighed out in an almost mocking tone. Just my luck, I may have gotten another officer who is going to be a pain in my ass. Before I could release my frustration I just walked on towards the hanger. The only plane without a name near the cockpit was a F-15C Eagle with blue wings and tail rudders. It was a major thing of beauty. I dropped everything, as if in a trance, and slowly put my hand onto the cool metal. I could feel as if she was talking to me.

"So, I see you like your plane," came a hearty chuckled voice behind me as I quickly pulled my arm back to my side and turned around. There was a guy not much younger than me with short brown hair and brown eyes smirking. "Name's Larry, but everyone calls me 'Solo Wing'." He seemed kind enough, maybe this wouldn't be as bad as I thought.

"Name's Amon, but you can call me Ron, seems easier for everyone to put a different name they can pronounce right for me," I said, smirking back. "So what brings you here Larry?"

"I got tired of that crazy party back home. Decided to fight back some. I lost a wing in one combat, but the full details are for later," wait, I was chatting to THE pilot that flew back to base with only a single wing?!

"Dude that story was all over the news in Osea! 'An Ustian Pilot Flies Back Solo Winged After Giant Skirmish,'" I recalled the article from six months ago, the one that I was stuck reading the day after I got grounded.

"You're telling me, well anyways nice to meet you Ron. So how does food sound right now? I hear that there will be a briefing for the new pilots here in an hour and so I thought that some food right before you go would be a good idea."

"Sounds good, I'm kind of famished from that ride here and some of the officers didn't help my mood at all," I laughed out as I turned and walked towards the main rooms for the base. Food wasn't actually a bad idea at the moment.

We had a few laughs while we were eating and kind of got to know each other better. It was always a good idea to know one's wingman during these times. It turned out that "Pixy" , as his call sign appeared to be, left Belka to fight against them because he disagreed from the Grey Men Party and when they invaded that drew the final straw for him. He was also the most experienced pilot at Valais Air Base at the moment also.

"And so I walk over to her and say-"

"Attention all pilots, report for an emergency briefing immediately. This is not a drill, I repeat this is not a drill," a booming voice sounded over the PA, cutting Pixy off from his story about some odd girl in his school years ago.

"Well show time Ron, let's hurry so the base commander doesn't blow a fuse. He is pretty cool as long as you're on his good side," he yawned out as he stretched out of his chair.

"Right sounds good." I got out of my own chair also and headed to the locker rooms to get suited up before heading out to the briefing room.

**A/N: **Not a bad first chapter huh guys? As a little side note I have decided to start up _Endless Sky_ again after this story and another one I have planned. I am also busy with school right now, but I'll try and update every Sunday starting after this week, so nothing for another ten days, but like I said, school is killing me. Also I will write little side stories for some characters possibly along with non-Ace Combat stories in the near future I hope. See you guys in Chapter Two and fly on!


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